Mascara is a cosmetic product used to color and/or thicken eyelashes. This composition is applied to the eyelashes with a brush that is traditionally attached to the plug that seals the bottle containing the mascara composition. In doing this, once the bottle is first opened, successive applications of the mascara with this brush and reinserting the brush into the bottle containing the mascara itself thus leads to a risk of contamination of the cosmetic composition with germs, and notably bacteria or fungi (i.e., germs picked up by the brush when in contact with the user's skin or eyelashes). These germs enter into the cosmetic composition, thus leading to a relatively fast termination of the mascara's usability, in fact requiring that it should be discarded relatively quickly in order to limit the possible risks of the multiplication of these germs in the mascara, in any case well before the cosmetic composition is used up.
To remedy this disadvantage, it has long been suggested that the mascara composition should contain preservatives, i.e. additives which can avoid and at least limit the growth of these germs. It has been shown, however, that such preservatives are irritants and can cause reactions in the eye, very close to the area where the mascara is applied. Moreover, the use of such preservatives can lead to the creation of resistant bacterial strains which can develop in the eye, risking the accompanying pathological consequences.
In a related field, concerning oral hygiene, the proposal has been made, notably in document WO 99/35911, to produce a toothbrush whose bristles are made of a plastic material containing a compound with antimicrobial activity, the component notably comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon, notably triclosan.
Experience has shown, however, that while germicidal activity can indeed be demonstrated, the salting out of this antimicrobial compound is observed, notably in the oral cavity. While such salting out has no effects, or at least no harmful effects, in toothbrush applications, it is unacceptable in the case of mascara, where such salting out would occur in the cosmetic composition itself, which could affect its composition and, furthermore, would not provide any increase in the duration of use of the mascara applicator brush.